Care Charging Policy Consultation

 

Residents are to be consulted as part of a review of services for older people, people with disabilities and carers across Cheshire East.

Over the last two years, the Council has transformed the way services are supplied to older people and adults with disabilities, bringing in great efficiencies and saving millions of pounds.

Despite this, the authority faces a potential overspend as demand continues to increase during the tough economic climate and people who used to fund their own care are running out of money and turning to the Council to help.

It is essential the full costs of care are recovered either through those who fund themselves or those who are funded by budgets provided by Cheshire East.

Many people fall between these two positions and their care is part funded by themselves and the Council. Where people have a personal budget, they are free to purchase their own care from where they like and the unique Empower* debit card helps them to do that.

The Council is going out to public consultation to seek the views of its customers and their carers from November 2 until January 31. All details will be available at www.cheshireeast.gov.uk from November 2 but topics under consideration are:

• Recovering the full cost of service provision either through customer payments and/or personal budgets from the Council;
• Recovering not just the cost of care but the overheads associated with providing that care;
• Using direct debits for collecting care costs with care providers collecting those costs directly, significantly reducing the cost of collection. The Empower debit card can be used to pay care suppliers;
• The charging policy to include benefit advice and means testing for carers to ensure that they have the correct level of income;
• The charging policy to include people in receipt of Independent Living Funds.

The Council is supporting an increasing number of people to make their own care arrangements but there are some people for whom this is not possible, such as those who need long-term residential or nursing care. The Council will continue to make arrangements for them.

Councillor Roland Domleo, Cabinet member with responsibility for adult services, said: “This is all part of the transformation process to ensure that charging is fair and equitable to everyone and that no money is unnecessarily lost in the system that could be better spent elsewhere.

“We face a very severe economic situation and rising demand, so every penny has to be spent to give the maximum return. I have authorised the public consultation but no more than that. There are some very complex issues here and we really need input from our customers and carers, before making any decisions.”

How you can find out more and make your views known:

Write to: The Consultation and Participation Team, Cheshire East Council, Delamere House, Delamere Street, Crewe, CW1 2LL

Email your views to: charging@cheshireeast.gov.uk

The following public consultation events are being held:

• Nantwich Civic Hall (from 7pm to 9pm), on Thursday, November 25;
• Sandbach Town Hall (from 6.30pm to 8.30pm), on Tuesday, November 30;
• Middlewich Community Church (from 12.30pm to 2.30pm), on Wednesday, December 1;
• Crewe Municipal Buildings (from 2pm to 4pm), on Wednesday, January 5;
• Wilmslow Leisure Centre (from 2pm to 4pm), on Thursday, January 6;
• Macclesfield Town Hall (from 2pm to 4pm), on Wednesday, January 19.

Please call 01270 371376 during office hours to advise on the session you would like to attend, so we can account for numbers. You will not be asked to provide your personal details.